The Devil All the Time

Set in rural southern Ohio and West Virginia, The Devil All the Time follows a cast of compelling and bizarre characters from the end of World War II to the 1960s. There’s Willard Russell, tormented veteran of the carnage in the South Pacific, who can’t save his beautiful wife, Charlotte, from an agonizing death by cancer no matter how much sacrifi­cial blood he pours on his “prayer log.”

Donald Ray Pollack is a master of the Southern-grotesque. His characters are cleverly engineered backwoods brilliance, not the dumb hicks you may come to expect from some ahem, other, authors. The story focuses on Arvin, the son of Willard Russell, whose childhood is consumed with sacrificial blood spilling on a "prayer log." No animal is safe from Willard sacrificial log, and Arvin soon learns no human life is safe either. As the story progresses we are introduced to more characters, each sick in their own way, and the story unfolds as each encounters the son of Willard Russell... The performance can be a bit flat at times, but overall a very entertaining read. If you like Danny Woodrell, or James Lee Burke, you will probably enjoy Pollack as well.

The Twelve: A Novel: The Passage Trilogy, Book 2

In the present day, as the man-made apocalypse unfolds, three strangers navigate the chaos. Lila, a doctor and an expectant mother, is so shattered by the spread of violence and infection that she continues to plan for her child’s arrival even as society dissolves around her. Kittridge, known to the world as "Last Stand in Denver", has been forced to flee his stronghold and is now on the road, dodging the infected, armed but alone and well aware that a tank of gas will get him only so far. April is a teenager fighting to guide her little brother safely through a landscape of death and ruin.

First off, I think The Passage was brilliant. This second installment of the trilogy disappointed me though. The amount of important characters swells, and the overall outcome is a story line diluted by some periphery characters that distract the reader from the core characters of the story, at least for the first half. The last half of the book really picks up and while it was not what I was expecting, it certainly kept my attention. If you read the first, you have to read this book. Trudge through the slow start and you will be rewarded at the end. You will also be waiting to find out what happens to the crew, or what is left of it, in the next book.

Helter Skelter: The True Story of the Manson Murders

Prosecuting attorney in the Manson trial Vincent Bugliosi held a unique insider's position in one of the most baffling and horrifying cases of the 20th century: the cold-blooded Tate-LaBianca murders carried out by Charles Manson and four of his followers. What motivated Manson in his seemingly mindless selection of victims, and what was his hold over the young women who obeyed his orders? Now available for the first time in unabridged audio, the gripping story of this famous and haunting crime is brought to life by acclaimed narrator Scott Brick.

Excellent background information, coverage of the murders, Manson, his "family," and the trial that put a lunatic behind bars for life. Bugliosi tells a fascinatingly sick true story of a sick and twisted man who gained control over weaker minded individuals and used them to try to start a war against the establishment.

Blood Meridian: Or the Evening Redness in the West

Author of the National Book Award-winning All the Pretty Horses, Cormac McCarthy is one of the most provocative American stylists to emerge in the last century. The striking novel Blood Meridian offers an unflinching narrative of the brutality that accompanied the push west on the 1850s Texas frontier.

This story is violent, heavy, and hard to stomach at times. McCarthy is one of the only authors that has the ability to make me woozy while reading, but I love every minute of it. This book is a classic study of good vs evil. An internal battle that is absorbed into the surrounding 1800's Americana. A classic for sure. Must listen...

Unbroken: A World War II Story of Survival, Resilience, and Redemption

Why we think it’s a great listen:Seabiscuit was a runaway success, and Hillenbrand’s done it again with another true-life account about beating unbelievable odds. On a May afternoon in 1943, an Army Air Forces bomber crashed into the Pacific Ocean and disappeared, leaving only a spray of debris and a slick of oil, gasoline, and blood. Then, on the ocean surface, a face appeared.....

Probably up there with the greatest stories of survival ever told. Louie Zamperini is a remarkable human being, but the story that shaped him into the man he later became was on of the most intense, enjoyable listens I have ever had. I cannot see how anyone would not enjoy this book. Following transformation of Zamperini from thief, to track star, to soldier, to husband and father was a pleasure. Highly suggested and should be required reading for students learning about the WWII era.

Catch-22

Catch-22 is set in the closing months of World War II, in an American bomber squadron on a small island off Italy. Its hero is a bombardier named Yossarian, who is frantic and furious because thousands of people he hasn't even met keep trying to kill him. (He has decided to live forever, even if he has to die in the attempt.)

If you like Catch-22, you will most likely enjoy this audiobook and the narration of Jay O. Sanders. For those of you who did not enjoy the book but wanted to give audio a shot, do not waste your time. Sanders cannot make up for the annoying tone and characters in this book. To be honest I do not really understand why anyone would really like this book. Heller's version of the war makes it look like everyone involved was a lunatic, its hard to follow the characters and even harder to like them.

The Passage: The Passage Trilogy, Book 1

First, the unthinkable: a security breach at a secret U.S. government facility unleashes the monstrous product of a chilling military experiment. Then, the unspeakable: a night of chaos and carnage gives way to sunrise on a nation, and ultimately a world, forever altered. All that remains for the stunned survivors is the long fight ahead and a future ruled by fear—of darkness, of death, of a fate far worse.

Yes, absolutely, in fact I look forward to listening again before the next installment is released in the fall. The book is long, rich, with well developed characters and a story line that keeps on giving.

What other book might you compare The Passage to and why?

Its like The Road meets Road Warrior meets Outbreak meets 30 Days of Night. Its a perfect blend of post apocolytic and realistic vampire virus action.

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